MP In Delegation to UN

Neil Gerrard, Labour MP for Walthamstow, has been invited by International Development Secretary of State Hilary Benn to be a member of the UK delegation to the United Nations for a special high-level meeting at the end of May.

The meeting at the UN will review the progress that has been made since the UN General Assembly Special Session in 2001 to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS, and will set out proposals for international work over the next few years.

“The Special Session in 2001 was a really important occasion” said Mr Gerrard. “Following agreements made then the Global Fund for Health was established, which has lead to major increases in funding for work in developing countries on HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB. One of the key issues now is to ensure that we deliver on the commitments made at last year’s G8 summit in Gleneagles, to deliver universal access to drugs treatments for HIV by 2010. This is an enormous challenge, but one we have to do our best to meet.”

“With 40 million people worldwide infected by HIV and 15 million children orphaned this is an international tragedy. Half of all those infected are women, and in Africa over half of all new infections are in young people aged 15 to 24. Yet drugs exist which can keep people alive, and it is essential that we get the drugs to all those who need them, as well as continuing the effort to prevent new infections.”

“I am pleased to have been invited to be in the UK delegation to this meeting at the UN which will help to set the agenda for the next few years.”

Neil Gerrard has been the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on AIDS for the last 9 years.

May 2006

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